When I say “local” it doesn’t have to mean your city alone, but if you go around the world, what do the locals play?
I’ve been all around North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia, and I’d say 99% of what I hear is music from the 60/70s. Not always the best, but they’re usually songs you’d hear on the radio.
One band I never hear are The Doors, and I wonder if its because they don’t feel like they (lead singer especially) can duplicate it. I hear Pink Floyd often, “Money” and “Comfortably Numb” (but never "Another Brick In The Wall: Part 2)… “Takin’ Care of Business” is another one (even my band played it). I don’t hear much Beatles or Stones, maybe a song or two. I don’t remember hearing Led Zeppelin, and I think its because the vocals can be tough. I’m sure singers wouldn’t wanna burn out their voice before their set is over.
I notice a lot of 4/4 straight-rock beats, maybe a shuffle, and occasionally a blues/waltz, and a ton of 2 or 3-chord songs…
I suspect some cities overseas try to cater to English speaking tourists. I do remember “The Thrill Is Gone” in Thailand, but the band played mostly original reggae… Many times I/we would be walking, and after hearing music, we’d go in and check them out, or at least try to make out what is being played from the outside. I notice the karaoke very similar to what cover bands play.
Anyway, I’d love to hear your stories, or your theories… Cheers!
A few years ago, my girl friend and i were driving around rural Massachusetts, and came upon a bucolic county fair, out in the middle of nowhere. They had a fresh-faced, well-scrubbed combo who proceeded to launch into Warren Zevon’s “Carmelita”! I couldn’t have been more shocked had they played “I’m Waiting For My Man.”
For some reason the combination of the two above posts reminds me of possibly the only time I’ve heard a cover band from outside my area. I went on a 4 day organized hike/jog through the Cotswold Way in England and the first day there was a singer/acoustic guitarist for post-run entertainment, and I was too tired to stay up for it, but I heard him from my tent, which was okay since I was only tired enough to sit up as little as possible as opposed to so tired I wanted to get sleep. One of the songs he played was Labelled With Love by Squeeze. It’s a total B-Side in America: despite all of the tracks on East Side Story being good if not great, this song had no cultural presence in America and I was pleasantly surprised at hearing an obscure-to-me nearly 40 year old song (even though it was a top 10 hit in Britain according to Wikipedia.)
Cover bands in these parts (California Central Coast) are partial to Classic Rock - a lot of Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, and Eagles - and Post Punk stuff like The Pixies, The Cure, and Nirvana. In Ireland a couple years ago, I noticed the buskers have a hard-on for Elvis. My previous visit 20 years ago, it was Johnny Cash.
There’s a band I’ve heard called The Next Doors. Their lead guy has a strong resemblance to Morrison that he fine tunes with hairstyle, makeup, and behavior. He stays in character throughout the band’s sets, and disappears during the grand finale.
Of course in bed, I think of another huge factor I missed… Songs that make you wanna drink alcohol!
I did remember hear The Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues” in Austin, Texas… I know I heard Billy Joel’s “Piano Man”, which has a feel of rows of people moving their huge mugs of beer to the rhythm, rocking it back and forth.
Thanks! I remembered a George Thoroughgood song somewhere. This was it. As I said earlier, they know certain songs will sell more alcohol, and that the bar owners/managers will like it.
Along those lines, Jimmy Buffet songs. If you’re a fan, you want to have some kind of tiny umbrella garnished cocktail. If you’re not a fan, any kind of alcohol will do.